“Stray Dogs” came out in 2021. A 5 issue miniseries by Image Comics, it combined cute Disney-esque artwork (see “Oliver and Company”) with a creeping horror story into an amazing genre-defying must-read. How did I get hooked?

There’s a comic out there for everyone, and the more you read comics, you start defining your tastes a little bit more specifically. I’m a big fan of DC and Marvel, of the big universe interconnected stories they tell. It takes a lot to get me into an independent comic. It’s not to say there aren’t quality independent publishers and comics out there, but my investment in new reads is limited. It took a guest on “Comic Talk” recomending this title to sway me, and I haven’t been the same since.

From the first issue, I was hooked. I’m a huge fans of dogs, so I wanted the best for them, and the owners that loved them. This story could only give me so much when it comes to happy endings. The suspense is real, the killer heartless, and his appeasers conflicted. It stands alone as a horror comic, with the window dressing of a Don Bluth feature. And by the end, you will cry (see TikTok below).

Go buy the paperback or digital copy at your local comic shop (www.comicshoplocator.com), bookstores, or check out more options on the Image Comics site here

 P.S. There are two extra chapters to the Stray Dogs story titled “Stray Dogs: Dog Days”. Definitely worth a read too IF YOU WANT TO CRY SOME MORE.